ighbours, or the clearer light
might enable them to make out who and what these were.

As it grew clearer, however, their awe was not diminished; for they now
saw that the upright figure had two thick strong-looking arms, which it
held out horizontally, manoeuvring with them in a singular manner. Its
colour, too, appeared reddish, while that of the small animals was deep
black! Had they been in the forests of Africa, or _South_ instead of
_North_ America, they would have taken the larger figure for that of a
gigantic ape. As it was, they knew it could not be that.

The light suddenly became brighter--a cloud having passed off the
eastern sky. Objects could be seen more distinctly, and then the
mystery, that had so long held the young hunters in torturing suspense,
was solved. The large animal reared up and stood with its side towards
them; and its long pointed snout, its short erect ears, its thick body
and shaggy coat of hair, showed that it was no Indian nor human creature
of any sort, but _a huge bear standing upright on its hams_.

"A she-bear and her cubs!" exclaimed Francois; "but see!" he continued,
"_she_ is red, while the cubs are jet-black!"

Basil did not stop for any observation of that kind. He had sprung to
his feet and levelled his rifle, the moment he saw what the animal was.

"For your life do not fire!" cried Lucien. "It _may be a grizzly
bear_!"

His advice came too late. The crack of Basil's rifle was heard; and the
bear dropping upon all fours, danced over the ground shaking her head
and snorting furiously. The light had deceived Basil; and instead of
hitting her in the head as he had intended, his bullet glanced from her
snout, doing her but little harm. Now, the snout of a bear is its most
precious and tender organ, and a blow upon that will rouse even the most
timid species of them to fury. So it was with this one. She saw whence
the shot came; and, as soon as she had given her head a few shakes, she
came in a shuffling gallop towards the boys.

Basil now saw how rashly he had acted, but there was no time for
expressing regrets. There was not even time for them to get to their
horses. Before they could reach these and draw the pickets, the bear
would overtake them. Some one of them would become a victim.

"Take to the trees!" shouted Lucien; "if it be a grizzly bear, she
cannot climb."

As Lucien said this, he levelled his short rifle and fired at the
advancing animal. T